UPDATE: Contracts Released For CDC Purchasing Of Phone Data To Track Americans’ Compliance With COVID Lockdowns

The CDC used phone location data to track millions of Americans.

They were using the data to monitor compliance with COVID lockdowns.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported (May 2022):

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used phone location data to track millions Americans in 2021.

The CDC monitored curfew zones, churches, schools, neighbor-to-neighbor visits and trips to pharmacies through SafeGraph, a controversial data broker.

The CDC purchased the phone data and used Covid-19 as an excuse to buy the data more quickly and in larger quantities according to documents exclusively obtained by Motherboard through a FOIA request.

The CDC used the data to determine whether Americans were complying with Covid lockdown orders.

The CDC paid two firms, SafeGraph and Cuebiq, a combined $628,000 for the data.

Both contracts were signed in 2021.

The initial reporting on the topic only had a single screenshot of a single page of a contract – the combined contracts run 71 pages in total.

The Epoch Times reported:

The CDC paid one firm $420,000 and another $208,000. That bought access to location data from at least 55 million cellphone users.

The contracts, approved under emergency review due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were aimed at providing the CDC “with the necessary data to continue critical emergency response functions elated to evaluating the impact of visits to key points of interest, stay at home orders, closures, re-openings and other public heath communications related to mask mandate, and other merging research areas on community transmission of SARS-CoV-2,” the contracts, obtained by The Epoch Times, state.

…

The contracts were previously reported on by Vice News, but the outlet only released a screenshot of a single page. Together, the contracts run 71 pages. Both were signed in 2021.

CubeIq Inc. contract:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/03/__trashed-73/

Big Banks Agree To Historic $30 Billion Unsecured Deposit Injection In First Republic Bank

Update (1530ET): And here is the official press release from the Big Banks, :

Bank of America, Citigroup,. JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BNY-Mellon, PNC Bank, State Street, Truist and U.S. Bank to make uninsured deposits totaling $30 billion into First Republic Bank

March 16, 2023

Action by the largest U.S. banks reflects their confidence in the country’s banking system and helps ensure First Republic has the liquidity to continue serving its customers.

Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo announced today they are each making a $5 billion uninsured deposit into First Republic Bank.

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are each making an uninsured deposit of $2.5 billion

BNY-Mellon, PNC Bank, State Street, Truist and U.S. Bank are each making an uninsured deposit of $1 billion, for a total deposit from the eleven banks of $30 billion.

This action by America’s largest banks reflects their confidence in First Republic and in banks of all sizes, and it demonstrates their overall commitment to helping banks serve their customers and communities. Regional, midsize and small banks are critical to the health and functioning of our financial system.

Following the receiverships of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, there were outflows of uninsured deposits at a small number of banks. America’s financial system is among the best in the world, and America’s banks – large, midsize and community banks – do an extraordinary job serving the banking needs of their unique customers and communities. The banking system has strong credit, plenty of liquidity, strong capital and strong profitability. Recent events did nothing to change this.

The actions of America’s largest banks reflect their confidence in the country’s banking system. Together, we are deploying our financial strength and liquidity into the larger system, where it is needed the most. Smaller- and medium-sized banks support their local customers and businesses, create millions of jobs and help uplift communities. America’s larger banks stand united with all banks to support our economy and all of those around us.

And here is the very brief joint statement from the Fed, Treasury and FDIC:

The following statement was released by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen, Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell, FDIC Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg and Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu.

Today, 11 banks announced $30 billion in deposits into First Republic Bank. This show of support by a group of large banks is most welcome, and demonstrates the resilience of the banking system.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/first-republic-bank-shares-crash-exploring-strategic-options

Watch: Border Patrol Chief Testifies Border Is Not Secure, Wall Needed

During testimony before the House Wednesday, Border Patrol chief Raúl Ortiz contradicted Biden administration officials by stating that there is a full on crisis on the southern border, urging that it is not secure, and calling for a wall to be built.

Biden officials, including DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, have repeatedly claimed that the border is under control, yet Ortiz confirmed that there is no operational control of the entire southern border.

Rep. Mark Green questioned Ortiz with a display behind him that noted “operational control,” as defined by U.S. law, is “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics and other contraband.”

Elsewhere during the hearing, Ortiz said it was a mistake to stop building President Trump’s wall. He also defended the agents who were accused and cleared of whipping migrants while on horseback.

https://summit.news/2023/03/16/video-border-patrol-chief-testifies-border-is-not-secure-wall-needed/

https://summit.news/2023/03/16/video-border-patrol-chief-testifies-border-is-not-secure-wall-needed/

Janet Yellen: Chinese Depositors to Silicon Valley Bank to Be Made Whole

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday that Chinese depositors will be made whole while community banks will have to pay higher fees.

Yellen spoke before the Finance Committee to discuss President Joe Biden’s budget proposal, but given the increasing concern over the instability in the banking sector, most questions revolved around the federal government’s response to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and others.

Lankford asked Yellen if Chinese investors, including those with affiliations with the Chinese Communist Party, would be made whole through the government’s efforts to stave off a financial crisis.

He asked:

It has been reported publicly that SVB had a large number of Chinese investors, including some that are directly connected to the Chinese Communist Party. Will those companies, entities, and investors that are Chinese investors be made whole based on assessments in my banks in Oklahoma? So, what I’m asking is, will my banks in Oklahoma pay a special assessment to be able to make Chinese investors whole from Silicon Valley Bank?

Yellen responded, “Uninsured investors will be made whole in that bank and I suppose that could include foreign depositors, but I don’t believe there is any legal basis to discriminate among the uninsured.”

Part of the Treasury Department, Federal Reserve, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) moves to stave off a banking crisis will include a special assessment on banks, or a fee, to replenish the Deposit Insurance Fund.

Lankford decried that community banks will have to pay an additional fee to make Chinese investors whole.

The Treasury secretary responded, saying that they are doing what they can to fight off a worsening economic situation.

Yellen said, “If we have a collapse of the banking system and its economic consequences, that will have very severe effects on the banks in Oklahoma.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/03/16/janet-yellen-chinese-depositors-silicon-valley-bank-to-be-made-whole/

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/03/16/janet-yellen-chinese-depositors-silicon-valley-bank-to-be-made-whole/

New York moves to implement digital driver's licenses later this year

In certain transactions, such as buying alcohol, the mDL user does not have to show a photo ID but rather transmit encrypted digital data that would confirm their age.

The New York State commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles, Mark Schroeder, said in a February budget hearing that they were developing mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) as a possibility to be offered to New Yorker's later in 2023.

According to Government Technology, a spokesperson for the DMV said that it was too early in the process to talk about where or how" mDLs would be used but that the development phase on the digital form of identification had begun in the state.

The director of identity management for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, Michael McCaskil, said that since 2012 the AAMVA had been working on projects to rollout mDLs and their efforts led to a 2021 standard specification for the digital IDs that was adopted by the International Organization for Standardization.

Unlike physical licenses, mDLs operate more like an app than a standard form of identification and are not exact replicas of the hard ID. An mDLs user can choose to share certain information on an need-to-know basis at their discretion in certain circumstances.

According to McCaskill, "They can always back out of a transaction before they share data. Even though the devices are connected, they are always in control."

In transactions, such as buying alcohol, the mDL user does not have to show a photo ID but rather transmit encrypted digital data that would confirm their age.

"You're not giving them everything," McCaskill said. "You're giving them what you want them to have… What they're doing is implementing a solution that's better than their physical solution but the relying parties are able to trust it and accept it."

Nine states, including Delware, Utah, and Maryland, use that standard and have implemented mDLs. In those two states physical IDs are still provided and the mDLs are optional.

Utah began developing an mDL program in 2016 and the state legislature passed a 2019 bill that advanced the program. The program to produce mDLs for Utah residents went into operation in 2022.

Maryland went a different approach and offered their mDLs through Apple Wallet, unlike the stand-alone offered by Utah.

In both states, the process to sign up is similar, as residents must scan the front and back of their physical licenses, complete a few digital forms, and then pass a likeness detection test.

https://thepostmillennial.com/new-york-moves-to-implement-digital-drivers-licenses-later-this-year

US approves $1.3 billion sale of Tomahawk missiles to Australia under AUKUS pact

Australia could buy as many as 220 Tomahawk missiles and supporting equipment from the United States as part of the deal struck under the AUKUS pact.

Key points:

The United States has approved the sale of Tomahawk guided missiles to Australia

As many as 220 missiles worth $1.3 billion could be purchased by Australia

Those missiles will assist Australia to contribute to missions of "mutual interest", according to the US State Department

The United States has approved the sale of up to $US895 million ($1.3 billion) worth of the guided weapons, which initially would be fitted to the navy's Hobart-class destroyers, and could later be installed in the Viriginia-class submarines when Australia acquires them next decade.

"The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region," the US State Department said in a statement.

"It is vital to the US national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability."

Speaking to the ABC, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the missiles would be a deterrent to adversaries.

"We face the greatest strategic uncertainty since 1945. We face a regional arms race and a responsible government such as ours is dealing with that by investing in the best possible capability," Mr Conroy said.

"This is how we promote peace and stability, by putting question marks in any potential adversary's mind."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-17/tomahawk-guided-missile-us-sale-to-australia-approved/102109084